of atlanta



. R. W. SCILWAB;

FOLDING METAL COT.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1917.

1 25,045. Patented D60. 16, 1919.

UNITED STATES PATENT onn on.

RQBERTWILFBED soHwA on ATLANTA; GEORGIA, assrenon To SOUTHERN sriame BED COMPANY, on ATLANTA, enonem, A CORPORATION on GEQRGTIA.

FOLDING METAL cor.

Specification of Letters Patent. P t t d D b, 16, 1919,

Application filed June 14, 1917. SeriaINo. 174,683.

a citizen of the United States, and residing at Atlanta, Fulton county, State of Georgia,

have invented certain new and useful lin proveinents in Folding Metal Cots, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to folding metal cots and has for its object to provide an article of this class which is light, strong, economical, and which may be compactly foldedinto a small bundle for convenience in handling and transporting. The invention will be fully disclosed in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the metal frame of the cot unfolded showing the canvas sheet portion in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 shows the cot partially folded;

Fig. 3 shows the cot completely folded;

Fig. 1 is an enlarged side view of the joint between the side rail and the center leg; and

Fig. 5 is a top view of the same.

The frame of the cot comprises side rails 10, end pieces 11, end legs 12, center legs 13 and braces 1% extending, diagonally from the side members to the center legs to brace the same. The canvas sheet 15 is similar to the canvas sheets usually utilized in fold ing cots, having pockets along the sides in which the side rails 10 are contained, and pockets at the ends adapted to contain the end members 11, the end pockets being of such size that the members 11 may be freely withdrawn and inserted in taking down and setting up the cot. I

Each side rail 10 is in two parts pivoted together, and also pivoted to the upper end of a center leg 13 by a single bolt 16. The adjacent ends of the side rails are curved downwardly and the bolts extend through the ends of these downwardly curved portions, this construction enabling the cot to be conveniently and satisfactorily folded, as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

The side rails, and the other parts of the frame of the cot, with the exception of the end pieces and leg braces are preferably made of angle .bars, which are well suited for the purpose. The horizontal flange of one angle bar is cut away for a short distance at the curved end (as shown in Fig.

5 )-so thatthe vertical flanges of the two angle bars on each side may be placed together and. pivotally secured by a single rivet to each other, and alsoto the upper end of a center leg 13. The edge 17 'of'the' cut away portion of the one part of the side" rail serves as an abutment against which the horizontal flange of the other part bears when the cot is unfolded to prevent the side rails from rotating to more than 180 about the pivot. This prevents the cot from sagging in the middle or breaking its back when picked up by the ends, even when braces 14 are not used. As shown in Fig. 1 the meeting ends of the sections of the side rails 10 are also curved or offset inwardly, as indicated at 10. This brings the ends of said sections parallel to the adjacent portion of the middle pair of legs 13 and enables a single bolt 16 to connect said leg and the two sections of a side rail. The legs of the cot extend at a. relatively sharp angle to the side rail, and by making thesections of the side rail of the form referred to a direct connection thereof with the legs at the middle of the cot is permitted.

Each brace 14:. is pivotally connected at one end to a side rail 10 and has a transverse slot in its other end adapted to engage a button 18 on the center leg 13 to brace the same.

The end legs 12 as well as the center legs 13 are crossed and pivoted to each other at their middle points and to the side rails at their upper ends. The end members 11 fit into slots 19 in the ends of the side rails and are held in this position by the tension of the canvas.

In folding the cot the end pieces are first removed, the braces 14 disconnected from the buttons 18 and folded back along side rails 10 and the cot is then turned on its back and the side rails brought together.

The end legs are then folded inwardly ends together, the halves of the side rails are offset when the cot is folded, and there is a space between them in which the legs and end pieces may be stored. If the side rails were not so curved to provide the olfset, the folding could not be satisfactorily accomplished and no storage space would be provided unless some additional member were added such as a T plate secured to the end of a center leg as has been heretofore suggested.

The above described construction is very simple and economical and by avoiding the use ofadditional members such as T plates, reduces the weight of the cot, which is a material consideration, especially in cots designed for army use.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A folding cot comprising a frame including side rails, each consisting of two sections having their meeting ends curved inwardly, a pair of crossed, pivoted, legs having their upper ends extending parallel with and secured to the inwardly curved ends of the side rail sections, legs pivotally connected with the side rails adjacent the opposite ends thereof, a fabric cover having pockets through which the side rails extend and additional pockets at the ends, and removable end rails extending through the pockets at the ends of the cover and engaging the side rails.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature ROBERT VVILFRED SCHWAB. t 

